GENETIC ENGINEERING MISTAKES "GENIE IN BOTTLE"

GENETIC ENGINEERING MISTAKES "GENIE IN BOTTLE" - GREENPEACE REPORT
Brussels, Belgium 14 October 1997
Many mistakes are occurring in the laboratory and the environment as a result of genetic engineering, but the warning signs are being largely ignored, Greenpeace revealed in a new report published today.
The report, "Genetic Engineering: Too Good to go Wrong?" is the first compilation of a number of different genetic engineering developments around the world which have produced quite unexpected, and often alarming results, including genetically engineered bacteria which:

unexpectedly killed beneficial soil fungi;
escaped into sewers through human error and unanticipated pathways
have become toxic to plants or survived when they weren't expected to.
Author of the report, Dr Doug Parr, says it shows that things will inevitably go wrong in genetic engineering, against all the best predictions. As genetic engineering deals with living organisms which reproduce, and as most of the industry is focused on engineering plants for agricultural applications, the mistakes will be very difficult to control once out in the fields.
"It's like the genie in the bottle: once it's out, you cannot put it back. There is very little appreciation of the inherent unpredictability of the science of genetic engineering. Already there are too many cases of things going wrong," said Parr.
Yet Governments seem awe-struck by the genetic engineering industry, which produces most of the scientific output on the subject. The boom in the biotechnology industry relies on "good news" to keep share prices up, thus creating strong pressure on the source science.
"The science of genetic engineering is unpredictable, but few, from scientists to Governments, dare raise the fact that today's 'Golden Goose' of industry is laying some rotten eggs," said Susan Leubuscher, of Greenpeace's European Unit.
"In a few years' time, it will be easy to say 'we shouldn't have done it'. Do we have to have a disaster on the scale of BSE before the European Commission finally wakes up and bans genetic experiments in our agriculture and our food?" said Leubuscher.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Susan Leubuscher or Isabelle Meister on ++32 2 280 1400
Martin Baker
Communications Development Manager
Greenpeace International
Keizersgracht 176
1016 DW Amsterdam
THE NETHERLANDS
tel: +31 20 523 6222/6287
fax: +31 20 523 6200/6212